Nofred Journals: A Slow Life in the South of France

LIVING WITH KIDS

A Slow Life in the South of France

LIVING WITH KIDS

A Slow Life in the South of France

She renovated an entire townhouse while pregnant with her first child, and moved in just ten days before the birth. 

Capucine, 33, lives in Arles in the south of France with her partner Henri and their two children, Suzanne and little Folco. Together they have shaped a home built entirely around family life: calm, full of light, quietly beautiful, and never perfectly tidy. Which is exactly how she likes it.

A round wooden baby crib with a beige canopy tent, set in a rustic room with terracotta tiled floors and a striped beanbag chair.

A young child stands barefoot in a rustic room with terracotta tile floors, facing a white daybed and a small table with colorful toys. The child is wearing a black and white checkered dress.

An interior room with rustic stone walls, a red tiled floor, an open white-framed window, a radiator, a small wooden cabinet, and a mirror.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR HOME, AND HOW DOES IT REFLECT YOUR FAMILY LIFE TODAY?

“It was love at first sight. We spent a year and a half renovating this little townhouse, shaping every corner around the family we were about to become. We moved in just ten days before our daughter was born. The timing couldn’t have been tighter.”

HOW HAS YOUR INTERIOR STYLE CHANGED SINCE BECOMING A PARENT?

“Softer. More practical. Still very much my own. Aesthetics have always mattered to me, but these days it’s less about how a room looks and more about how it feels. Calm, uncluttered, a space that holds the whole family with ease.”

“It’s less about how a room looks and more about how it feels.”

A child sits at a small wooden table on a mint green plastic chair, reading in a rustic room with a stone fireplace, terracotta tile floor, and a black floor lamp on the left.

A man and a young girl sit at a small table on a rooftop terrace, eating outdoors with a view of historic stone buildings and a blue sky. The man wears a gray t-shirt and light pants, and the child wears a light pink outfit.

A baby bassinet with a cream floral print and wooden legs sits in front of a large stone fireplace in a rustic room with terracotta tiled floors.

A rustic kitchen interior with a stone arch ceiling, white walls, a built-in oven, countertop fixtures, and a wooden dining table with chairs in the foreground.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE A TIDY HOME WITH THE REALITIES OF EVERYDAY FAMILY LIFE?

“A family home can’t be perfect all the time, and I’ve made my peace with that. I want our daughter to feel free to play, to leave her mark on the space. A home that’s clearly lived in means far more to me than one that’s perfectly tidy.”

WHAT SMALL DESIGN CHOICES HAVE HELPED MAKE YOUR HOME BOTH PRACTICAL AND PERSONAL?

“Beautiful things that also earn their place. Vintage finds from the flea markets give the house its character, and furniture that genuinely works makes everyday life with children so much lighter.”

“A lived-in home means far more to me than a perfectly tidy one.”

A set of four light wood floating shelves mounted on a textured white plaster wall, styled with children's books, toys, a pink speaker, and a yellow plush toy in a cozy nursery or playroom corner.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH COLOURS, FURNITURE, AND STYLING IN YOUR CHILDREN’S ROOMS?

“Soft, timeless colours that keep the room calm. Furniture that grows with the child and stays beautiful for years. And then the playful details layered on top: books, toys, small things with character.”

HOW HAVE YOUR CHILDREN INFLUENCED YOUR CREATIVITY AND WORK?

“My daughter changed the way I see everything. Becoming a mother made me want to put my personal life first, ahead of my work. And she inspires me creatively every single day.”

A woman and a young child sit on the stone steps of a rustic yellow building doorway. The woman wears a light gray long-sleeve top, blue jeans, and black slide sandals, while the child wears a light blue patterned top and matching blue pants.

A rooftop terrace with a small round table and chair overlooking a historic stone building with arches under a blue evening sky.

A young child wearing a short-sleeve pink and orange floral print dress and cream clogs stands in a doorway looking down a wooden staircase.

ARE THERE ANY FAMILY ROUTINES OR RITUALS THAT MAKE YOUR HOME FEEL ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL?

“Slow mornings are everything to us. Weekends especially. We begin the day gently, unhurried, breakfast all together while the house is still quiet. Laying the table, making something simple, talking through the day ahead. There’s something quietly grounding in those small gestures.”

WHICH THREE NOFRED PRODUCTS ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?

"I love the Step Up Stool — it's so practical! The Book Holder is a must-have for toddlers. And finally, the Baby & Jr. Bed, which is both beautiful and adaptable as the child grows."